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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
“Nothing spoils
a good party like a genius.” — ELSA MAXWELL
www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 78
Police arrest man on several charges By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Police arrested a man Sunday evening after he allegedly assaulted an officer and left a child on the side of a road. Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe said John D. Lamountain, 40, of Westfield, was arrested Sunday night after he allegedly “barricaded himself” behind a door at the S and S Mart on Franklin Street, and reportedly charged at an officer. It was also reported by Westfield Police that Lamountain allegedly left a child alone on Kellogg Street prior to the incident. According to the police records, a call initially came in for a wellbeing check on a man and a child on the “corner of Kellogg Street and Lincoln Street.” It was then reported that a possible robbery was occurring at S and S Mart. According to McCabe, police arrived to S and S Mart and reportedly found that Lamountain had gotten behind the counter of the convenience store without permission and allegedly “barricaded himself behind a door.” Additional officers were requested and police gained access and Lamountain allegedly charged at the officer, “making contact with the officer,” according to McCabe. Lamountain was eventually tasered according to police, and had allegedly resisted arrest while on the ground. Police also reported that a child that was with Lamountain was left in front of an address on Kellogg Street. Bystanders reportedly waited with the child until police arrived, according to police records. Police arrested Lamountain and charged him with reckless endangerment to a child, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, trespassing and resisting arrest. Additionally, McCabe reported that two officers were treated at a local hospital due to hand injuries they sustained during the alleged incident.
JOHN D. LAMOUNTAIN Photo acquired from Westfield Police
Forward progress with economic development, shared services in hilltowns Eversource held a demonstration to first responders in Springfield on Thursday. (Photo from WWLP)
Granville Fire Dept. attends power line demonstration By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent GRANVILLE – Three members of the Granville Fire Department attended a live demonstration in Springfield that was hosted by Eversource, the energy provider for several communities, including Granville. The demonstration was based on showing first responders how to handle the different situations when power lines go down in their respective city or town. Granville Fire Chief Matt Ripley was one of the three members of the department to attend, and found it to be worthwhile. “It was beneficial, it opened up support and a line of communication between us and Eversource,” said
Ripley. The demonstration crews used hot dogs to show the effects electricity could have on a human body. With police and fire departments typically arriving to a scene with wires down before the power company can, the crew showed the first responders how to properly handle any of those situations. Ripley says that Granville is accustomed to incidents with wires being down, therefore the demonstration was a great tool to use moving forward. “It’s a pretty common call for us,” said Ripley. Eversource is doing demonstrations like the one they did in Springfield, all across the commonwealth.
Westfield Bank’s Kevin O’Connor promoted WESTFIELD — Marketing, Mr. O’Connor Westfield Bank is pleased was the Regional Manager to announce that Kevin of Retail Banking for O’Connor has been proMassachusetts and Northern moted to Executive Vice Connecticut for the former President and Chief New Alliance Bank. Banking Officer. Mr. In addition to his many O’Connor previously professional accomplishserved as Senior Vice ments, Mr. O’Connor is a President of Retail Board & Executive Banking, Retail Lending, Committee Member for the Bank’s Greater Westfield Chamber and Marketing. In his new Westfield position Mr. O’Connor Kevin O’Connor has of Commerce and the will continue to oversee been promoted to Immediate Past President of those same divisions, plus Executive Vice the Kiwanis Club of Westfield Financial President and Chief Westfield. Management Services Banking Officer. (sub- Westfield Bank President and Commercial Deposit mitted photo) and CEO James C. Hagan Services. called Mr. O’Connor’s leadMr. O’Connor began ership a key element of his banking career at the Westfield Bank’s success, former Third National Bank. He and an important part of its future. remained with that company through “Kevin approaches every challenge mergers with Bank of New England, with the clarity and confidence that Fleet Bank, and Bank of America. inspires his colleagues,” said Hagan. During that span, he held various “His leadership and insight were branch and district/regional manage- instrumental to the success of our ment roles in Consumer and Small merger with Chicopee Savings Bank Business Banking. Prior to joining and I look forward to his expanded Westfield Bank in 2010 as Vice contributions as Westfield Bank moves President of Retail Banking and forward.”
4th annual Western Massachusetts Film and Media Exchange By PETER CURRIER Intern, WSU ’17 PITTSFIELD – Tickets are now on sale for the 4th annual Western Massachusetts Film and Media Exchange. The event will take place on Friday May 12 from 11:30AM to 6PM at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel in Springfield. Presented by the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative of Western Massachusetts, the exchange will feature opportunities for students and professionals alike to network and test out the newest video equipment for themselves. This year the BFMC is partnering with VitecVideocom, a film technology organization that brings many brands under a single name, including Anton/Bauer, Autocue, Autoscript, Bexel, Camera Corps, Litepanels, OConnor, Sachtler, SmallHD, Teradek, Paralinx, The Camera Store and Vinten. Although the name cannot yet be announced, the Film and Media Exchange will feature a well known industry key-
75 cents
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017
Diane Pearlman, Executive Director of the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative.
note speaker. Previous speakers include Academy Award winning Visual Effects Pioneer and Director Doug Trumbull, Academy Award winning documentarian Cynthia Wade and Michael Hoffman the CEO of marketing agency See3. This year the focus will be on more hands on training than previous years. “It will be almost like a movie shoot,” says Diane Pearlman, executive director of the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative. Although usually held in October, this year’s event was moved up to May so that attendees can test out newer equipment. Tickets are $55 if purchased before May 8, $70 if purchased after May 8, and $40 for students with a valid student ID. To purchase tickets or for more information on their programs visit the BFMC website at www.berkshirefilm.org or call: 413-528-4223.
By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON – The Community Compact signed last year by the six Gateway hilltowns of Chester, Middlefield, Huntington, Blandford, Russell and Montgomery has produced a lot of forward momentum. The Hilltown Collaborative, the group formed to work on the compact’s goals of economic growth and shared services met on Thursday in Stanton Hall to work on specifics of several different projects. Included will be an economic development coordinator with an office in Chester, the lead town for a $100,000 grant that has already been received. Also completed is a review of financial management services in the towns, done by the state Division of Local Services (DLS), a division of the Department of Revenue. Next will be a review of Information Technology (IT) functions in all the towns by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC). The last two are to determine potential for shared services and savings between the towns. Andy Myers from Chester, chair of the Hilltown Collaborative, said the group has now visited with the Select Boards of all of the towns that signed off on the Community Compact’s goals. Attending the meeting was Michael Knapik, former state senator and state representative, who now serves as director of the Baker-Polito administration’s Western Massachusetts office in Springfield. “I’m very encouraged by the work you’ve all done. You’re serving as a model and template for what’s going on around the region,” Knapik said. The meeting began with an overview of the hilltowns’ population trends, operating costs, challenges and opportunities prepared by Zachary Blake of DLS, who was not present. Myers said the combination of declining and aging populations, declining school enrollment and increasing costs is unsustainable. “We’re in an unsustainable trend right now,” Myers said. ”We’ve got to get creative with our existing capacity and resources.” Among the plans of the collaborative which have been funded by the Community Compact is a shared economic development coordinator for the six towns. The grant of $100,000 will fund the first 14 months of the position, along with administrative support from PVPC, and the costs associated with setting up an office in Chester. A general job description was shared at the collaborative meeting, and Myers asked members to review it and suggest changes. Joshua Garcia of the PVPC, who along with Patrick Beaudry will be taking the lead on the project, said he would like to see the towns hire someone by July 1. “It’s absolutely critical that we get the best person possible. You’d like them to think of serving the region, not a shared economic director serving six towns, said Darlene McVeigh, Huntington’s finance committee chair. She added that they won’t be expecting economic growth in fourteen months, but hope to have a long-term plan moving forward. Towards that end, Myers said that Elan, the design and planning firm that received a grant last year to do an economic overview of the region, will be holding an open house on April 12 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. to present an economic plan. The plan will be a starting point for the new economic development director. “Most towns reacted positively to an economic development manager. We’ll have 12 to 14 months to work with that person before making the decision to extend that term,” McVeigh said. The Hilltown Collaborative also put in a request for internal IT assistance, which will begin with a feasibility analysis by Jamie Duran and Molly Goren-Watts of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, both of whom were at the meeting. Goren-Watts said she grew up in Vermont, and enjoyed the ride out. “I understand and connect with the challenges the Hilltown Collaborative towns are facing,” she said. Following See Hilltowns, Page 3
Among those present at the Hilltown Collaborative meeting were Molly Goren-Watts and Jamie Duran of PVPC, Darlene McVeigh, member from Huntington, Michael Knapik, director of the Baker-Polito Administration’s Western Mass office and Andrew Myers, chair. (Photo by Amy Porter)